The Sydney-based, self-described "Cheat Meal King" was recently named in the 2020 Guinness Book of World Records for eating the most cannoli in 30 seconds — and for scoffing down six jam donuts in a minute without licking his lips.

"When you're a kid you just don't imagine you're going to break a world record for anything, let alone be in the book — I used to love that book as a kid ," he tells Today Extra hosts.

But it wasn't world record fame that propelled the competition eater in the beginning, he admits.

(Today Extra)

"When I started this I had no idea that I'd even be attempting a Guinness World Record. I started because I was at the gym a lot, I needed to eat a lot of food because I was at the gym, just to recover my muscles," he explains.

"I see a pathologist pretty regularly to keep... everything in check," he says.

"But for me the most important thing is longevity. It's all about balance — you've got to understand your body, you've got to understand the nutrients going into your body, how to deplete your body of certain nutrients so that when you do this stuff it actually refills the body back up."

Part of coping with the excessive diet of burgers and carbs is ensuring he's making up for all the bad stuff with nutrient dense foods.

"Oh yes, I eat plenty of fibre," he tells David Campbell when quizzed about his bowel habits.

However, there's one type of food challenge you won't find Jesse competing in — and the big eater learned the hard way.

"I used to regularly do spice challenges but my stomach decided it didn't like that anymore and I went to hospital for it, and almost went another time when I thought I was okay to try again, but my body is definitely saying 'nope'.

David Campbell tries to eat as many vegan koftas as he can in a minute. (Today Extra)

"I had to vomit because it was such a pain in my stomach."

Watch the full Today Extra segment above to see how David Campbell fares in an eating competition against Jesse.